Michigan fireworks law may face revisions

By Chad Selweski

Saturday, August 11, 2012

An effort to defuse the controversy over Michigan's new fireworks law will be co-chaired by state Rep. Harold Haugh, the Roseville Democrat who authored the bill allowing rockets and powerful firecrackers.

Haugh will face a glaring spotlight on the bipartisan, five-member special committee that could propose revisions to the law as early as late this month.

The new standards, which allow the use of formerly illegal "commercial-grade" fireworks 30 days per year, generated a barrage of public complaints about noise, sleep disruptions and fire dangers to homeowners on July 4th and in the weeks prior to the holiday.

"I'm not going to preconceive what the group will come up with. But we will be working with the state fire marshal, the Michigan Municipal League, local municipal authorities and elected officials, and we will put everything on the table," said Haugh, the former Roseville mayor. "I ... am not ruling out anything."

Haugh approached Gov. Rick Snyder last month about forming a bipartisan "work group" that would study ways to allow local communities to establish additional restrictions on rockets and firecrackers. Haugh opened the door to revisions after admitting that the volume of high-grade fireworks shot off in late June and early July had been unimaginable.

Numerous cities and townships in the Detroit area put the law's limits -- allowing powerful fireworks only on the nation's 10 holidays, plus the day before and after each holiday -- into a local ordinance to streamline enforcement. The work group could recommend to the full House that they substantially cut back on the 30 days of legalization. Some municipal officials, including those in Warren and St. Clair Shores, have called for a repeal of the entire law.

By legalizing fireworks that fly into the sky or produce a substantial explosion on the ground, Haugh put himself on the hot seat. In the days surrounding Independence Day, the legislator conducted more than 50 radio interviews and had seven TV news appearances.

The noisy "war zone" atmosphere experienced by many residents, particularly in the Metro Detroit area, prompted a continuous stream of outrage on websites and social media networks. Many criticisms from Macomb County residents referred to the anxiety the rapid-fire explosions caused for dogs and other pets.

Yet, many municipal officials across the state failed to realize that they could still enforce local ordinances restricting noise and barring disturbances of the peace during the July 3-5 period of legal rockets and fireworks. At the same time, elected officials in Macomb County were inundated with calls and complaints from residents demanding their city or township ticket fireworks violators for disturbing the peace.

Haugh said he still believes the huge volume of fireworks exploded in Michigan in July might represent a one-time "novelty" factor created by the new law. For example, Haugh said he doubts many Michiganders eagerly anticipate the 3-day legal fireworks period over the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

The lawmaker's intent was to bring revenues to Michigan, rather than continuing the tradition of Michigan pyrotechnics enthusiasts traveling to Ohio or Indiana, or any of the 31 states that allow high-grade fireworks, to purchase explosives that are illegal here.

The five legislators serving on the House "work group" may release a preliminary report before Labor Day that would, at a minimum, provide final figures on state revenue collected and the number of sites that sold high-grade fireworks.